4 of the best grilled cheese sandwiches of your life by top chef Joris Bijdendijk

Star chef Joris Bijdendijk earned three Michelin stars in eight years. For Bridges, RIJKS and restaurant Wils. He has also written a cookbook: Bij Bijdendijk Thuis. In this substantial book, Joris shows you what is served at his home. With clearly described techniques, he shows you that you can also bake the perfect brioche or prepare lobster at home. He also shares plenty of top recipes, including this one for 4 of the best grilled cheese sandwiches of your life.

Basic grilled cheese recipe

• Cut 2 slices of bread about 1.5 centimetres thick. Spread one side of each slice with a thin layer of butter and place the slices in a warm frying pan over low heat, buttered side down, of course. This allows the bread to start becoming crisp; it takes a little longer than melting the cheese. While cooking, cover 1 slice with slices of cheese, right up to the edge. Place the other slice on top of the cheese, cooked side facing up, and cook the grilled cheese sandwich until golden brown. Turn regularly until the cheese has melted and the outside is golden brown. If the cheese drips out of one of the sides, you can briefly cook the sandwich on its side so that the cheese becomes crisp. If you love butter (like me), brush the sandwich with a little fresh butter again afterwards. Eat your grilled cheese sandwich with your favourite ketchup.

Croque Monsieur

Joris: ‘The croque monsieur is essentially a rich, over-the-top French grilled cheese sandwich. Don’t eat it too often, because you can’t train your way out of this one. But it’s delicious to make and eat occasionally with a simple salad. Use pain de mie, baked in a square tin.’

• For the béchamel sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, but do not let the butter brown. Add the flour and stir well to combine. Do this for about 1 minute. Keep stirring and add the milk little by little until everything is incorporated and you have a thick sauce. Turn off the heat. Add the cheese and stir until smooth. Season with nutmeg, mustard, salt and pepper. Leave to cool.
• Spread 2 slices of bread with a layer of béchamel. Place a folded slice of cooked ham on top. Sprinkle with Gruyère. Cover both croques with 1 slice of bread and spread the outside, top and bottom, with butter. Fry the sandwiches in a pan over medium heat on both sides until crisp and golden brown. Then spread the top again with a layer of béchamel, covering the entire surface. Grill until the béchamel turns golden brown or finish in an oven at 180 °C. You can also fry a sunny-side-up egg to serve on top; then it is called a croque madame.

Bread with melted cheese

• Bread with melted cheese is not a culinary masterpiece, but it is a genuine childhood memory and ready in under 1 minute. That can sometimes be quite important. For this slightly soggy but tasty snack, you can use a simple wholemeal slice of bread. Preferably top the single slice with the same cheese as the basic grilled cheese sandwich. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds on the highest setting. The cheese will start to melt and bubble. Eat the bread immediately, while it is still warm.

Welsh rarebit

Joris: ‘St. John in London is still one of my favourite restaurants. They have numerous famous dishes, including this extravagant slice of bread with gratinated cheese.’

• Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, but do not let the butter brown. Add the flour and stir well to combine. Do this for about 1 minute. Add the cayenne pepper and mustard. Keep stirring and add the beer little by little until everything is incorporated and you have a thick sauce. Turn off the heat. Add the cheese and stir until smooth. Season with Worcestershire sauce.
• The mixture can cool outside the refrigerator and then be stored in the refrigerator. Take a slice of day-old bread of your favourite kind; I use red wheat bread. Spread the mixture over the entire surface of the slice and grill until nicely browned. Add more Worcestershire sauce to taste.

Title: Bij Bijdendijk Thuis
Author: Joris Bijdendijk
Price: €34.99
Publisher: Nijgh & van Ditmar

Read also:

• The ultimate grilled cheese sandwich according to Gordon Ramsay
• Why are grilled cheese sandwiches always cut diagonally?
• Make this special grilled cheese sandwich with Gruyère and red wine